Apparatus for handling metal bars.



N0. 628,528. Patented lu ly ll, I899. V.-E. EDWARDS 8: P. B. MORGAN.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING METAL BARS.

(Application filed June 7, 1897.)- (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet I.

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"N0. 628,528. Patented July ll, I899. V. E. EDWARDS 8:. P. B. MORGAN. APPARATUS FOR HANDLING METAL BARS.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(Application filed June 7, 1897.) (No Model.)

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UNITE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR EEnwAEDs AND PAUL B. MORGAN, or WORCESTER, MASSACHU- SETTS, ASSIGNORS TO THE MORGAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING METAL BARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,528, dated July 11, 1899.

Application filed June 7, 1897. Serial No. 639,6 '71. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VICTOR E. EDWARDS and PAUL B. MORGAN, citizens of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and State of Massachusetts,have invented a new and useful Improvement in an Apparatus for and System of Handling Metal Bars, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompany- :o ing drawings, forminga part of the same, in

which- Figure 1 represents in plan view an apparatus for handling metal bars as they are delivered from the rolls of a rolling-mill, said [5 apparatus embodying ourinvention and illustrating our improved system of handling metal bars, including the successive processes of straightening, cooling, distributing into selected pockets, withdrawing from the several pockets and cutting into determined lengths, and delivering the finished product from the cutting mechanism upon a car or truck. Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively side and end views of the cutting mechanism and conveyer for deliverin g the bars when out to the car or truck. Fig. at represents, on a larger scale and in sectional view, a portion of the cooling and straightening bed, the pockets for receiving the bars, and the transferring mechanism for delivering the bars into the several pockets, the section being taken on line at 4, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sketch showing one of the rocking shafts with radial arms em-.

ployed for maintaining the bars at different elevations on the cooling-bed and Fig. 6 is a sectional view on line 6 6.,Fig. 5. i

Similar letters refer to similar parts in the different figuresl The objects of our invention areto provide an apparatus by which metal bars of various dimensions constituting the product of the reducing-rolls of a rolling-mill are straightened, cooled upon a cooling-bed, and distributed to any one of a series of pockets, from which they are withdrawn and cut into determined lengths and delivered from the cutting mechanism upon a car or truck; and these objects We attain by the apparatus illustrated by the accompanying drawings and is described in the following specification and particularly set forth in the annexed claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A denotes a trough provided with a series of positively-driven feed-rolls A,the peripheries of which project through openings into the trough A and serve to convey the metal bar as delivered from the reducing-rolls to a V- shaped trough A preferably located upon a higher level than the reducing rolls, the trough A being inclined for that purpose. The metal bar when delivered upon the V- shaped trough A is straightened by a straightening mechanism comprising a car A upon which is mounted a gripping mechanism which seizes the forward end of the bar and holds it from longitudinal movement, while the rear end of the metal bar is seized by a" gripping mechanism A, pivotally connected by links A with a reciprocating cross-head A, which is attached to a piston inclosed within a steam-cylinder A by which the gripping mechanism A is moved back, thereby drawing the metal bar straight and into a direct line between the car A and the crosshead A the pivotal connection between the gripping mechanism A and the cross-head A posited in pockets, from which they are withdrawn to be cut into determined lengths, as hereinafter set forth. The section B of the cooling-bed consists of a series of rigid inclined skids B, upon which the bars are delivered from the straightening mechanism. Between the skids B are journaled a series of rocking shafts B parallel with the skids and having radial arms B B extending therefrom. The arms B on each of the shafts B are arranged in a plane at right angles with the plane of the arms 13 upon the same shaft, and each series of arms are also arranged in straight horizontal rows extending lengthwise the bed 13.

The rocking shafts B are each provided with an arm 13*, pivotally connected with a reciprocating rod 13, which is actuated by a piston inclosed in a steanrcylinder B by which the rocking shafts B are simultaneously rocked back and forth one-quarter of a revolution at each movement of the reciproeating rod 13", carrying the series of radial arms B and the series of radial arms B alternately into a vertical position with their ends projecting a short distance above the inclined skids B, as represented by the arm B Fig. 6, so that the arms which extend in a vertical position will form a row of dogs arranged in a straight horizontal line in order to hold the bars from sliding down the inclined skids B.

The horizontal rows of the arms 13 alternate with the rows of arms 13, so that the rocking motion of the shafts will allow the bars lying on the skids B to move by gravity successively down the inclined skids from one row of arms to the next lower row of arms until they are finally delivered at the lower end of the bed B to the next section of the cooling apparatus.

The straightening mechanism and the bed 13 are supported by a framework 13", Fig. 4, which is preferably suspended from overhead in order to leave the space beneath the supporting-frame B entirely clear for the remaining portion of the cooling apparatus, which may be extended beneath the straightening mechanism and the bed B in order to economize space. The bars as they slide 0d the rigid inclined skids B are caught upon a shelf D, having its upper surface D in- 'clined oppositely to the inclination of the skids B, so that a bar falling thereon will move by gravity beneath the bed 13 upon the second section of the cooling apparatus, which consists of a series of movable conveyers by which the bars are carried in a horizontal plane a short distance and are then delivered by forming a series of pockets under each series of conveyers and by throwing the appropriate series of conveyers out of action, depositing the smallest bars into the first pocket and conveying the larger bars to the pockets farther removed. The pockets 0 O are formed between upright standards 0 O, which also support horizontal shafts C to which a series of sprocket-wheels O are attached. Pivoted upon the shafts O at the side of each of the sprocket-wheels O are arms 0 each being provided with a circular boss 0 over which and the sprocket-wheels C endless chains (J are placed. The arms 0 are sufficient to span the space between the upright standards 0, and the free end of each of the arms 0 rests upon the upper end of the next adjacent standard'O, so as to bring the upper side C of each of the chains 0 in a horizontal position, thereby forming a bridge across each of the pockets 0. Each of the shafts G which supports an endless chain 0 carries a ratchet-wheel C by which the shafts G are simultaneously rotated with an intermittent motion by means of the pawls G which are carried upon the levers 0 pivotally connected at theirfree ends with'a reciprocating rod 0 which is actuated by a piston inclosed in a steam-cylinder 0 Each of the arms 0 is provided with a horizontal flange 0 which supports the upper portion of the endless chain and sustains the weight of the bars. At the lower end of the inclined shelf D is a hinged gate D across which the bars slide upon the first series of conveyer-chains, thereby allowing the bars to be intercepted and deposited into a supplemental pocket D by raising the gate, as shown by the broken lines D. The intermittent motion of the first series of chains conveys the bars across the first pocket and delivers them upon the next series of chains spanning the second pocket, and so on until. it is desired to deliver the bars into one of the pockets. To accomplish the deliveryof the bars, the series of arms 0 over any selected pocket are raised, as represented by the left-hand bar 0 Fig. 4, thereby allowing the bars to fall into the pocket lying beneath the raised arms.

At one end of the pockets 0 and transversely thereto is a track F, having a truck F, carrying a motor F a cutting mechanism F a pair of feed-rolls F and a capstan F with intermediate mechauism,which is thrown into operative connection with the motor by means of the lever-handle F. At the rear of the cutting mechanism F are a series of endless belts Fflcarried upon wheels F mounted upon parallel shafts F and F The shaft F is actuated by means of gears F which connect it with one of the shafts (3 and cause the upper side of the belts F to travel in the direction of the arrow 1 and deliver a bar placed thereon upon an inclined table F from which they slide by gravity upon a car F upon a track F In operation the truck F is moved along the track F opposite the pocket containing the bars tobe out. A rope with one end attached to the capstan is wound around the end of the rod, and the capstan is set in motion to draw the end of the rod up to the feedrolls F, by which it is projected through the cutting mechanism until its forward end strikes a stop F adjustably attached to a trough F which is provided with a hinged bottom F". When the bar has been severed by the cutting mechanism, the hinged bottom F is opened, allowing the bar to fall upon the belts F by which it is delivered to the car F IIO The upper portion of each of the endless belts F is supported bya platform 1?, which sustains the weight of the bars and prevents the sagging of the chain under the weight of the bar.

The operation of our improved apparatus is as follows: Each bar as delivered from the reducing-rolls of the mill is conducted to an elevated straightening mechanism by an inclined conveyer consisting of the trough A and feedrolls. From the straightening mechanism, which may be of any known construction, the bar is placed upon a series of rigid inclined skids arranged in a uniform plane and is held by gravity against the first row of vertical arms which project above the plane of the skids, and as the row of arms are disposed in a straight line the hot metal bar will be preserved in a straight line. The rocking of the shafts carries the arms B and B alternatelyv below the surface of the skids and allows the bars to move by gravity down the skids B from one row of arms to the next lower row until the bars fall one by one from the skids B upon the inclined shelf D. The opening of the gate D allows any unmerchantable bars to fall into the supplemental pocket D while the closing of the gate D will cause the bars to pass onto the conveyer-chains constituting the second section of the cooling-bed. The bar is permitted to travel upon the second section of the c0o1ing-bed until it has become sufficientl y cool, when one of the series of arms is raised and the bar dropped into one of the pockets 0, the bars of smaller crosssection falling earlier into the pockets and those of larger cross-section being carried a greater distance and being deposited in pockets farther removed.

What we claim as ourinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for handling metal bars, the elevated straightening mechanism and an elevated inclined section of a cooling-bed in combination with a series of pockets and conveyin g mechanism located beneath said in clined section of the cooling-bed and forming the second section of the cooling apparatus, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a series of inclined skids forming the first section of a cooling-bed of a series of rocking shafts provided with ra dial arms arranged in horizontal rows and in two different planes and means for rocking said shafts whereby the arms in each plane are alternately brought into position to check the sliding movement of the bars over said skids, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for handling metal bars, a cooling-bed consisting of two sections, the first of said sections having means for straightening the heated bars and comprising a series of rigid skids upon which the bars are delivered from the straightening mechanism and the second of said sections consisting of movable conveyers upon which the bars are delivered from the first section, said conveyers being arranged in successive series, whereby the bars are delivered from one series to the next succeeding series, and means for throwing each of said series of conveyers out of action, whereby 'the bars are moved varying distances, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for handling metal bars, the combination of means for straightening the heated bars, a series of rigid inclined skids upon which the bars are delivered 'from the straightening mechanism, means forchecking the movement of the bars over said inclined skids at stated intervals, whereby the bars are given a step-by-step movement, movable conveyers upon which the bars are delivered from said inclined skids, said conveyers being arranged in successive series by which the bars are delivered from one series to the next succeeding series and means for throwing each series out of action, whereby the bars are moved varying distances, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for handling metal bars, the combination of means for straightening the heated bars, movable conveyers arranged in successive series, by which the bars are delivered from one series to the next succeeding series, a series of pockets to receive the bars arranged beneath and corresponding with the series of movable conveyers and means for throwing each of said series out of action, whereby the bars are moved varying distances and deposited in said pockets, substantially as described. I

6. In an apparatus for handling metal bars, the combination of the following instrumentalities, viz 2 means for straightening the bars as they are delivered from the rolling-mill, a series of rigid skids or supports upon which the bars are delivered from the straightening mechanism, movable conveyers upon which the bars are delivered from said skids arranged in successive series and adapted to move the bars by a broadside movement, a series of pockets arranged beneath said movable conveyers, means for throwing each series of movable conveyers out of action, whereby the bars are moved varying distances and deposited in said pockets, a track extending transversely by the ends of said pockets and a cutting mechanism movable on said track, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the inclined section of the cooling-bed and a series of conveyers located in a lower plane than said inclined section, of a shelf having an inclined surface placed beneath the edge of said cooling-bed to receive the bars by gravity and conduct them to the conveyers, substantially as described.

8. In an apparatus for handling metal bars the series of endless chains with their upper surfaces in the same horizontal plane, means for imparting a motion to the chains in said series whereby a bar is transferred by abroadside movement from one series to the next succeeding series, substantially as described.

series of sprocket-wheels, means for actuating the same, arms pivoted at one end concentricallywith said sprocket-Wheels and endless chains carried by said sprocket-wheels and the free ends of said arms, and means for supporting said arms across said pockets,substantially as described.

11. The combination with a series of pockets, of a track placed transversely to said pockets and at the end thereof, a truck capable of being moved along said track, cutting mechanism mounted on said truck, a feeding mechanism mounted on said truck by which the bar is fed to said cutting mechanism and means for operating said feeding and cutting mechanisms, substantially as described.

12. The combination with a series of pockets of a track placed transversely to said pockets and at the end thereof, a truck capable of being moved along said track, a cutting mechanism mounted on said truck, feed-rolls by which the bar is fed to said cutting mechanism and a motor operatively connected with said feed-rolls and said cutting mechanism, substantially as described.

13. The combination with a series of pockets, a cutting mechanism, means for actuating said cutting mechanism, a feeding mechanism by Which a bar is fed to said cutting mechanism, means for actuating said feeding mechanism, said cutting and feeding mechanisms being capable of being moved transversely to the ends of said pockets and a conveying mechanism by which the severed bars are taken from said cutting mechanism placed opposite either of said pockets and delivered to a common place of deposit, substantially as described.

14. The combination of an inclined conveyer by which a bar is conveyed from the rolls of a rolling-mill to a higher level and delivered upon a cooling-bed, an elevated inclined coolingbed from which the bars are delivered by gravity, a receiving-shelf placed beneath the lower edge of said cooling-bed, a series of pockets located beneath said cooling-bed and means for transferring bars across said pockets, substantially as described.

15. The combinationof an elevated inclined cooling-bed, a shelf having an inclined surface and placed beneath the edge of said cooling-bed, a hinged guide by which the bar is conducted from said shelf to a conveying mechanism and a conveying mechanism, substantially as described.

Dated this 27th day of May, 1897.

VICTOR E. EDWARDS. PAUL B. MORGAN.

Witnesses:

RUFUS B. FOWLER, II. M. FOWLER. 

